X45, Newcastle to Consett

Leaving the grand streets of Newcastle’s Eldon Square behind, the bus winds westward, buildings giving way to broader skies. Beside trendy but buzzing Quayside, with its nocturnal and daytime japery, the bus passes and over the Swing Bridge with unforgettable views of the majestic River Tyne. It’s up the hill to Gateshead and  the looming dome of the shopping complex flashes by—a swirl of steel and commerce—before the whirring delight of Newcastle and Gateshead begins to loosen its grip. Newcastle with its hustle and bustle has long gone and the journey takes on an altogether different, but equally compelling vibe, to delight, discerning scenic thrill-seekers.

Crossing the River Derwent, the road dips and climbs, flanked by dense woodland and trickling streams. At Winlaton Mill Spa, the landscape opens to reveal sleepy lanes lined with hedgerows and glimpses of old stone cottages tucked into the folds of green. The trees here form a leafy tunnel in places, dappling the bus in flickering light.

Rowlands Gill arrives with its cheerful high street and old-fashioned shops, a place where time slows, but set against the backdrop of the Derwent Valley which curves away – its woodlands thick with oak, ash, and sycamore. At Hamsterley Bank, the road grows steeper, climbing into open countryside. Sheep graze lazily in distant fields, and stone walls slice the hills into neat, timeworn patches.

Ebchester greets folk next as the journey ebbs and flows —St Ebbas Way winds past crumbling remnants of Roman roads and sturdy cottages with slate roofs. By Shotley Bridge Catholic Church, spires pierce the skyline and the surrounding hills roll gently like waves frozen mid-motion. Then, passing Blackhill and St Andrew’s Church, with its graveyard nestled in quiet solemnity, the world becomes steeper, colder, wilder.

Finally, Consett Bus Station appears—hard edges, modern glass, and the ghost of industry in the air. The hills wrap around the town like a collar, smoky and windswept, as if guarding the stories of coal and steel that still cling to the earth. The sense of occasion and ambience thickens as this Tyne treat of a trip comes to a fitting end.